It feels good to get this off my chest—like a form of best friend therapy. I can’t believe how quickly this all took place and I can see it for what it was—a fling. For a hot second, I thought we could be more, but now I know that I was being stupid. If I’m not good enough to hold on to my past loser ex-boyfriends, why the heck did I think I would be good enough for Leo? Clearly our “friendship” wasn’t something he wanted for much longer.
“Girl, that sounds like it belongs in a romance novel! I can’t believe someone so business-smart can be this stupid. I would have walked up to them both and punched them in their faces!”
“It’s okay! I can put it behind me and never have to see him again. If he’s smart, he’ll just leave me alone, and I won’t have to see him at the caffé anymore.”
“Are you sure you really feel like this is all okay or are you trying to put on a front? Do you want me to show up in Italia and kick this dude’s ass? What about the supermodel? I’m sure I could take her!”
“I love you, Sophie! No, you don’t need to come to Italia to kick his ass. But if you do want to come here just to visit me, that would be awesome.”
“I might have to plan that out!”
Just then, I hear a loud knock at my door. It’s a Sunday morning and since I’ve been in Italy I’ve only had one visitor … Leo. It must be him on the other side of this door.
“Sorry, Sophie, I’ve got to go. Someone’s knocking on my door.”
“Okay, Elena, don’t let that bastard Leo make you sad. You know you can do better than a guy who would kiss someone else when they’ve got you by their side. I love you, girl! And don’t let it be another few weeks before we talk again.”
“Love you, too, Soph! Ciao ciao!”
By the time I get to the door, the knocking has turned into pounding. I think my door is about to fall off its hinges. There’s definitely a maniac on the other side; I’m not sure I even want to open the door.
“Elena! Open the goddamn door!” I hear Leo shouting.
Man, I’ve never heard him raise his voice like this before.
“Just go away! Can’t you take a hint? I don’t want to see you ever again,” I shout back through the door.
Now, normally, I do not get loud with people. I am the master of the silent treatment. This actually never upset my past boyfriends because usually when it got time to fight or argue, they were getting ready to end things.
“Elena, so help me God! I will break down this door if you don’t open it right now!”
Before my neighbors call the police, I quickly open the door.
“What?!” I shout, swinging the door open and ending up face to face with a furious Leo. His eyes look bloodshot, his hair looks like he’s been running his fingers through it all night, and he is wearing last night’s club outfit.
“Where the hell did you go last night? You had me worried sick! If the sleazy bartender didn’t tell me he saw you leave, I would have called the police thinking you got kidnapped or worse!”
He pushes his way into my apartment and paces back and forth through my open kitchen and living room.
“Listen, Leo, I appreciate your concern, but you don’t have to worry about me. I can take care of myself. I didn’t want to be there, so I left.”
“Why did you leave? And why did you turn your phone off?” He lowers his voice, and I see his shoulders slump; he looks defeated and extremely tired. Did he stay awake all night?
I really don’t want to have this conversation with him, especially with him giving me puppy dog eyes. I’m the one who should be shouting! I just wish he wasn’t here and none of this was happening. Why couldn’t he just forget about me? He clearly had no problem doing that in the club last night.
“Leo, I saw you,” I whisper, looking him dead in the eye. He looks just as confused as he did when he asked me what happened.
“Saw me what?”
“Saw you making out with that supermodel whore, Gabriella Rossi.”
“Elena—” he runs his hands through his hair and turns towards me. He hasn’t denied anything yet.
“Your friends are right. I’m not good enough to be with you. I’m also not good with watching you being ‘friends’ with other women right in front of me. Why waste my time and yours? Get out and let’s pretend this whole thing never happened between us.”
“Elena, I’m sorry you saw that.”
That’s it? That’s the worst apology, ever. It’s also driving me insane that he’s not even denying it or giving me that “It’s not what it looked like” bullshit excuse most men pull out of their asses.
“Why didn’t you push her away? I thought we were together.”
“We are together, as friends. We talked about this, Elena. Gabriella was not even invited to the party. Victoria told her it was happening and she crashed. I was waiting for you to come out of the bathroom and she spotted me. We were talking and then she kissed me. I got caught up in the moment.”
“Are you kidding me?! You basically told the entire room that you don’t even give a shit about me by kissing someone else with me there. I know you think we are friends, but I feel like you cheated on me.”
I look at him and try so hard to ignore the tears that want to slide down my cheeks. I pace the room as I try to clear my head from this confusion. I can’t decide if I’m pissed or heartbroken.
“Please listen to me,” he says as he tries to grab my arms to stop me from pacing.
“Don’t touch me!” I scream in his face. “I don’t want your hands anywhere near me.”
He looks like I’ve just punched him in the gut. I don’t think he realized just how serious I was until now. I will not tolerate another person cheating on me. I have flashes back to when I caught Zack in bed with this secretary.
“I’m so sorry, Elena. I didn’t cheat on you—I am not technically your boyfriend.”
And just like that, I’m the one who looks like I’ve been slapped across the face. He’s trying to get off on a technicality?
“Are you fucking kidding me?!” I feel like I scream at him, but I think it comes out as barely a whisper.
“Elena, please can we put this behind us. I don’t see why this is such a big deal. I didn’t go out of my way to kiss Gabriella and I definitely did not want you to see that.”
“Is this what life will be like with you?” I say as I burst into tears.
I’m picturing myself at future parties with Leo and seeing women all around him, and I can’t face this again. I don’t think I’m cut out for ‘friends with benefits’ especially if I have to be worried that Leo will be getting benefits from other people.
“Cara, please don’t cry,” he says as he reaches his hand to wipe away my tears, but I flinch as he comes closer and he stops in his tracks.
The tears flow down my face, and I’m to the point where I need a Kleenex. Great, now I’m going to look like a hot mess the last time Leo sees me.
“I’m sorry but I can’t do this. Leo, please just go. I realized seeing you kissing her that I am not cut out for this,” I say pointing in between us.
“Cara, you don’t mean this. Give me a chance to make this better.”
His eyes plead, and he steps closer to me. We stand face to face, and he reaches his arms out to grab my waist and pull me into him.
“I’m sorry Leo. We both know we weren’t meant to be anyway. This would have ended eventually. Let’s just get it over with now before it hurts even more.”
I pull away from his grasp and open the front door. He looks me up and down one last time, probably realizing he’s not giving up much, and walks out the door.
12
It’s been nearly two weeks since Leo walked out of my life. Or, really, I opened the door and practically shoved him out. I’ve thrown myself into work and I have to say I have a few desserts under my belt—or should I say apron—now. I think Marco is even surprised at my baking skills. However, I think I’m taste-testing a few too many of these delicious good
ies—my jeans are feeling a little snug. I need to visit my dear friend Alessandra at the gym soon.
“Elena, dear. Aren’t you looking bella today?” Signora Lucca walks up to the counter with a tall man with short, dirty blonde hair and chestnut eyes. He has a strong jaw and perfect white teeth.
“Buon giorno, Signora Lucca. Grazie.”
“I wanted to introduce you to my doctor, Carlo Romano.”
“Nice to meet you, Dr. Romano,” I say, looking up at him. He has an intense gaze on me, and I feel my face heat up.
“You can call me Carlo. It’s great to meet you Elena. Signora Lucca has spoken very highly of you.”
“Oh, Signora Lucca, she stretches the truth. Believe half of everything she’s said about me.” I laugh as I turn around to start making their coffee orders—a latte and a cappuccino.
“Well, she got one thing right.”
“What’s that?”
“She said you were bella.”
I spill a little of the milk I was pouring into their drinks and I grab a napkin to clean up my mess. I’m not on top of my game, at work or with men, right now.
“Grazie to you both. These are on the house.”
Signora Lucca winks at me and gives a little head nod in the direction of the doctor. He is a very attractive man—I will give her that.
“I would love to see you again, that is, if you aren’t already seeing someone.”
“No, I’m single,” I say a little too quickly. Great, now he’s going to think I’m desperate. Smooth move, girl. Way to act hard to get.
He laughs and hands me his business card as he tells me to call him when I get a break to set something up. They both leave me a tip and, as the duo walks out of the caffé, Marco comes up behind the counter ready to change shifts.
“Did you just get set up by a middle-aged mother? When is someone going to walk in here and ask me on a date?”
He peeks over my shoulder at the business card and laughs.
“Marco, be serious. Like you have time to go out on a date with anyone. You are practically married to this caffé.”
“You are right. Stella is my bambina.”
“All right, crazy man, I’m going to leave you with your baby and I’m going to kick my own ass at the gym.”
“Ciao, bella! Get your tight ass in my class right now!” I hear Alessandra shout at me when I walk into the gym. I’m glad she’s here to keep my mind off the last time I was in the gym, with Leo. This place brings back memories of his chiseled body glistening with sweat. God, why do I have to have such a great memory?
“Let me put my bag in a locker, and I’ll be in there in a second!” I say as I walk towards the locker room. I drop off my bag and jump into the routine as the class is warming up. Alessandra’s classes are the best! She pumps the music loud, dims the lights, and has the best choreography.
After an hour of an ultimate sweat fest, I don’t think I can even feel my muscles anymore. I am spent!
“Hey, wait up!” Alessandra says as she runs to catch up with me as I head to the steam room.
“I haven’t seen you in a few weeks. What’s new with you, Elena?”
“Just the usual—been working at the caffé a lot.”
“Come on, you really want to talk about work? Tell me the juicy stuff! I saw you leave the club on my birthday with the very handsome Leonardo Forte. I didn’t know you were friends … or more based on the way you two had your hands all over each other.”
She winks at me. It makes me a little sad to remember the ‘old days’ when Leo and I couldn’t take our hands off each other—well, that was just two weeks ago.
“I’m not holding back on any juicy stuff, don’t worry. Leo and I were friends, but not anymore.”
“Why not? He’s a hunky piece of man-candy!”
“Man-candy or not—he’s not really my type,” I say, trying to brush off her comment.
“You mean an extremely good-looking rich man isn’t your type?”
She laughs as we get to the steam room. I strip off my workout clothes and wrap a towel around me. I take a seat inside the steam room, and Alessandra sits next to me.
“I just don’t think we would have wanted the same things in the long run, you know? He dates supermodels and he isn’t looking for marriage.”
“I can understand not wanting to be with a man who doesn’t want marriage—if you do, that is. But I wouldn’t let the supermodel thing stop you.”
“Well … I was at his birthday party with him and I caught him kissing Gabriella Rossi when I went off to the bathroom.”
“What?!”
“Yep you heard me. Super embarrassing. I’m trying to put the entire thing behind me.”
“I can’t believe it. I know from the papers he’s normally a player. But the way he was looking at you at the club the other night, he definitely had eyes for you … and only you.”
I blush, thinking about what Leo and I did that night in the private room. I realize even in that moment that my hopes were set too high. I already wanted more than he could give.
“Okay, enough about me! What have you been up to? Let me hear your boy drama.”
“I don’t let boys cause drama in my life,” she says with her calm Italian accent.
“How is that possible?”
“I don’t let them get close enough to me to cause any drama. I use them for what I need and let them go.”
“It’s that easy?”
“Si, I don’t let men rule my life.”
“You should write a rule book or something—I think a lot of girls want your attitude, but a little thing called ‘emotions’ gets in our way.”
She laughs at me.
“You American girls with your big dreams of surprise proposals on bended knee and huge weddings. You know how many girls have Pinterest wedding boards but aren’t even engaged?”
“Okay, okay, I get it. But there’s nothing wrong with wanting someone to love you and only you.”
“I agree. Love is special but love doesn’t mean you need to run off and get married.”
“So you don’t want to get married?”
“I’ll never say never, but it’s not a big deal to me.”
“You are an aspiring model and you don’t want to get married … you are the one who should be dating someone like Leo.”
“Oh no, honey, he’s not my type. I don’t like men who want someone else in their bed. I don’t know what he was doing with that Rossi chick, but the guy I saw in the club wanted you.”
I get home from the gym and plop down on the couch with my carry-out salad and margarita pizza. Italians really know how to do their pizza—damn this is delicious. I grab my laptop and throw on House of Cards on Netflix. As I catch myself drifting to sleep with the Underwoods, my iPhone rings. I don’t recognize the number and normally wouldn’t answer, but I’ve got nothing else to do, so I pick up.
“Pronto?”
“Pronto, Elena! It’s Carlo. I’m glad to hear you are answering your phone like a true Italian.”
I can tell he’s smiling through his words, and it cheers up my grumpy mood.
“How are you, Carlo?”
“I’d be better if a beautiful woman would say she’d go out to dinner with me Friday night.”
“Are you trying to ask me to find you a beautiful woman?” I say, playing it coy.
“No, you are that woman.”
I take a look at the pizza, Netflix, and my sweatpants, and I realize that anything is better than this solitude!
“Well, after you’ve twisted my arm, I guess I should say yes.”
“Bravo! I am so happy to hear that. I am not ‘playing it cool’ as you Americans say, am I?”
“Don’t worry about it. I’m excited, too,” I say, laughing at his dorky admission.
“I will pick you up around 8 o’clock. Text me your address.”
We say our goodbyes, and I hang up the phone. Am I ready for this? But how could one dinner hurt? At least Sig
nora Lucca will get off my back. I drift into a deep sleep on the lumpy couch.
13
The next morning I’m at Stella’s making chocolate chip cannolis before we open. My thoughts float in the clouds as usual. I’m getting good at this baking thing when I hear a sound behind me. Before I can even turn around to check it out, I feel his massive body trapping me against the table. His arms surround my body, and I feel his hot breath in my ear.
“Leo, what are you doing here?” I say, surprised I can’t even get the words out.
“Ssh cara. Enjoy the moment.”
“We really shouldn’t be doing this here. I mean, pastries and everything.”
Leo says nothing. Instead, he spins me around and plants a deep, caressing kiss on my mouth. I let out a small whimper and slip my tongue inside his mouth. I know I should fight him off, but this feels so damn good.
Leo takes off my apron and unbuckles my jeans. I help move the process along quicker and slide them down my legs and reach for his belt. He grabs my hands to stop me and then pushes my panties to the side. He plunges two fingers deep inside me and uses his thumb to circle my clit. I bite down on his tan neck, holding back my urge to scream. He pumps his fingers in and out, and then takes my juices and rubs it around my clit.
I feel my climax start to build as he claims my mouth once again. He sucks on my lower lip and then pulls at it with his teeth. I can’t hold back and I feel an orgasm rip through me and I climax on his hand.
Before I can regain my composure, he spins me back to facing the table and then pushes his huge cock inside me. My panties are still on, and the combination of him slamming hard into me and the fabric rubbing against my clit feels glorious.
“Harder,” I growl as I grab on to the table in front of me, holding on tight.
“Come for me,” he barks, before thrusting harder and faster. I feel the vibrations travel through my pussy and I climax again and we cry out together.
My Mr. Beautiful: Eternal City Love, Book 1 Page 8
